WASHINGTON, March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the U.S. Census Bureau:

Older Americans Month: May 2014

A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute to older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter's proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.

14.8% Percent supplemental poverty rate for those 65 and older, equating to 6.4 million people. Excluding Social Security would leave the majority of this population (54.7 percent or 23.7 million) in poverty. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2012 http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p60-247.pdf

21.3% Labor force participation rate for men 65 and older in 2012, up from 17.6 percent in 1990 and significantly higher than the rate for women 65 and older at 13.4 percent (8.4 percent in 1990). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey Table B23001 http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B23001

61.8% The percentage of those 65 and older who reported living in homes with computers in 2011. Additionally, 45.5 percent accessed the Internet either from home or elsewhere. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Computer and Internet Use, Table 2 http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf

Voting

71.9% Percentage for those 65 and older who reported casting a ballot in the 2012 presidential election. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, The Diversifying Electorate—Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections), Table 6 http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-568.pdf

18.2% Percentage of Florida's population that was 65 and older in 2012, followed by Maine (17.0 percent) and West Virginia (16.8 percent). Alaska had the lowest percentage (8.5 percent), followed by Utah (9.5 percent) and Texas (10.9 percent). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html

49.3% Percentage of the population in Sumter, Fla., that was 65 and older in 2012 – which led all of the nation's counties. Other counties were Charlotte, Fla. (36.0 percent) and La Paz, Ariz. (34.9 percent). Chattahoochee, Ga. (3.6 percent) had the lowest percentage.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html

43.5% In 2010, percentage of centenarian men who lived with others in a household, the most common living arrangement for this group. For their female counterparts, the most common living arrangement was residing in a nursing home (35.2 percent). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Centenarians: 2010 http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features series:

African-American History Month (February)

Labor Day

Super Bowl

Grandparents Day

Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women's History Month (March)

Unmarried and Single Americans Week

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/

Halloween (Oct. 31)

St. Patrick's Day (March 17)

American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)

(November)

Older Americans Month (May)

Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

Cinco de Mayo (May 5)

Thanksgiving Day

Mother's Day

The Holiday Season (December)

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)

Father's Day

The Fourth of July (July 4)

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)

Back to School (August)

Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Profile America Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: [email protected].